Newsmakers: 'Star Wars' fan dies days after getting film wish

From wire reports

November 10, 2015Updated: November 10, 2015 10:09pm

Photo: Elaine Thompson, STF

A worker uses a steam cleaner Tuesday to remove decades of gum off Seattle's famed "gum wall."
that stretches behind and above him, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015, in Seattle. Tourists and locals have been sticking their used chewing gum to the wall near Pike Place Market for 20 years, leaving an estimated 1 million pieces in a kaleidoscope of colors, some stretched and pinched into messages, hearts and other designs. On Tuesday, cleaners began melting it all off. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A worker uses a steam cleaner Tuesday to remove decades of gum off...

A terminally ill "Star Wars" fan from Spring who requested an advance screening of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" has died less than a week after watching the movie.

Daniel Fleetwood, who had cancer, had a private screening at his home on Nov. 5.

His wife, Ashley, posted on Facebook that he died in his sleep early Tuesday and "is now one with God and with the force."

Diagnosed with spindle cell carcinoma and told he had just months to live, the 31-year-old Fleetwood lobbied online to be allowed to see an early version of the movie, due out Dec. 18. He saw an unfinished version, thanks to the film's producers and director, J.J. Abrams

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SEATTLE - A piece of Seattle history is coming down - or rather, 1 million little pieces.

Crews are cleaning up the city's famed "gum wall" near Pike Place Market, where tourists and locals have been sticking their used chewing gum for the past 20 years.

On Tuesday, powerful steam cleaners were melting it all off.

Emily Crawford, a Pike Place Market spokeswoman, said that following a busy summer season, market leaders decided now was as good a time as any to wipe the wall clean. But they expect people will start leaving gum on the space again soon.

"It's an icon. It's history," said onlooker Zoe Freeman, who works near Pike Place. "The market is famous for the gum wall. But it also draws rats."

Pike Place Market hired a contractor, Cascadian Building Maintenance, to take on the cleaning. They chose steam over pressure-washing to conserve the historic market's brick walls.

"I just hope that the citizens of Seattle don't hate me for removing the gum wall," said Kelly Foster, the contractor's general manager.

By Crawford's rough calculation, there are about 2,200 pounds of gum on the walls.

Christie's sells painting of nude for $170 million

NEW YORK - After a night in which Christie's sold a painting of a sexy nude by Amedeo Modigliani for $170.4 million - just a few million short of the auction record for a work of art- the auction house was offering up iconic works by Andy Warhol, Louise Bourgeois and Lucian Freud

Modigliani's "Reclining Nude" joined the ranks of nine other works that have reached price tags exceeding $100 million at auction and became the second-most expensive artwork sold at auction. Christie's said the buyer was the Long Museum in China.